EP0513135B1 - Process and device for seed treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

Process and device for treating seeds in order to combat harmful organisms. According to the invention, in an initial stage of the process, the seeds are separated and distributed evenly in a free-fall process, subjected in a vacuum to irradiation by low energy electron beams and then immediately treated with fungicides and/or microbial antagonists or metabolic products and spores thereof and/or synergists.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for the treatment of seeds for combating seed and / or soil-borne pathogens. The method and the device according to the present invention are intended for the treatment of agricultural, horticultural or forestry seeds, in particular for the treatment of cereals. The invention is particularly suitable for combating the wildfire in wheat and barley in agricultural production.

It is known for certain cereal crops to dress the seeds against fungal pathogens that are seeded. A number of chemical and physical treatment processes are known for this. The chemical treatment is usually carried out with pickling agents that contain one or more active ingredients. However, the specific pathogens of wheat flying fire (Ustilago tritici), barley flying fire (Ustilago nuda) and other seed-borne pathogens can only be effectively combated using combination products, which usually consist of a mercury compound and a systemically attacking active ingredient, or of combination products that attack mercury-free and at least one system preparation Active ingredient exist.

In this context, it is known to use highly toxic, broadband chemicals based on mercury compounds, the area of action of which is the surface and seed coat of the seed. The mercury-free mordants with a narrow or broad-band effect also make it possible to fight pathogens that settle deeper in the seed. From the pickling described above Chemicals are also expected to protect seeds from soil-borne pests when attached to the seeds. In addition to a high deposition rate, the application of these agents also requires specific devices which meet the application conditions.

The disadvantages of chemical pickling are the toxicity of the active ingredients used for warm-blooded animals and humans as well as the development of resistance to prolonged use for certain pests. On the other hand, the mercury-free stains are much more expensive. The signs of resistance are also exacerbated by the fact that the agents for crop treatment (crop protection agents) contain the same active ingredients or active ingredients from the same groups as the pickling agents. Another effect of chemical mordants is their residue behavior in the crop plants and the associated negative effects on the human and animal organism. The amount of effort and the metabolism play an important role. Finally, the known methods and devices for chemical dressing of seeds frequently have the disadvantage that the fungicidal potency of the dressing agents is not fully exploited and there is a potential risk of phytotoxic damage to the seeds by overdosing. The latter often occurs due to the uneven deposit of the mordant on the seeds.

It is also known to apply the dressing to the seed in vacuo (DD-PS 18 675, DD-PS 23 421). At the same time, the vacuum serves to improve the fight against flying fire in cereals by additional exposure to moist heat. However, facilities of this type have not gained any greater importance because the process control is very time-consuming and only a relatively low throughput is achievable that does not meet the requirements of efficient technological process control, especially in central seed processing plants.

Hot water pickling is also known as a physical pickling process for combating barley flying fire. Although this is particularly environmentally friendly, since it is non-toxic and has no residue load, on the other hand it results in little success in combating and has therefore not proven to be very effective in practice.

The use of ionized, high-energy rays, such as gamma or X-rays for combating microbial pathogens on seeds, is not possible because the required radiation dose leads to mutagenic or phytotoxic effects on the seeds.

It is also known to use low-energy electron beams in vacuo or in a free atmosphere to combat seed-borne pathogens (DD-PS 242 337, DD-PS 238 715, US Pat. No. 4,633,611). The electron energy and the radiation dose are measured in such a way that microbial pathogens on the surface and in the near-surface layers of the seed kernel (karyopsis) are killed without affecting the germ in terms of yield or phytotoxic effects.

Such a method has the advantage that it does not cause any toxic pollution and endangerment of people or the environment; however, seed-transmissible pathogens in the deeper layers of the grain and in the germ are not or only partially detected and the seeds are exposed to the infestation by soil-borne pathogens unhindered. Electron pickling therefore leads to the fight against barley and Wheat avian pathogens are not sufficiently successful because they are located in the deeper layers of the caryopsis.

From FR-PS 961 079 an irradiation device with electron beam generators arranged opposite one another in an irradiation chamber is known, in which the material to be irradiated enters the irradiation chamber from above and emerges from it again downwards. However, such a device does not create any conditions for a sufficiently individual irradiation of granular bulk material, such as seeds, for dressing this material.

More recently, biological control methods using microbial antagonists have been described, which are used against seed-borne pathogens (AT-PS 360 274, DE-OS 33 11 071, EP-PS 255 774, US-PS 4,798 723 etc.).

Bacterial antagonists such as Bacillus spp., Streptomyces spp., Pseudomonas spp. and fungal antagonists such as Chaetomium spp., Gliocladium spp., Penecillium spp., Trichoderma spp. used for example. However, the good fungicidal effects found under laboratory conditions at optimal temperatures above 20 ^o C are often not confirmed during the transition to the field, and considerable uncertainties have arisen. To improve the effectiveness, mixtures of microbial antagonists and fungicides have therefore been described for use (DE-OS 23 52 403, DE-OS 27 40 052, DD-PS 267 420).

A deficiency in the current state of pest control by means of antagonists is considered to be the fact that their vitality and thus effectiveness are caused by existing seed-borne pests, admixed broadband fungicides or unfavorable Settlement conditions for the antagonists on the seed is restricted.

Finally, methods for treating seeds with symbiotic microorganisms or micorrhizal fungi have also been proposed. The aim of these measures is to use the seed to transfer microorganisms into the soil, which, in symbiosis with the crop or in the immediate vicinity of the soil with their metabolic products, provide important macronutrients for the crop. In this case, too, seed-borne pathogens or broad-spectrum fungicides, in particular, can adversely affect the development and thus the effectiveness of these microorganisms.

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a method of the type mentioned at the outset and known from US Pat. No. 4,633,611 which permits increased efficiency in combating seed and / or soil-borne pests, and which has an increased environmental compatibility and allows high throughput. The method is also intended to lead to a more complete control of pests on the seeds regardless of the location of the pests on the seeds.

The invention is also based on the object based on a device as is known from US-A-4 633 611 to provide a device for the treatment of seeds for combating seed-borne and / or soil-borne pests which have a high throughput in the treatment of Seeds and all-round treatment of the same with high efficiency in combating the pests, regardless of their location on or in the seeds.

With regard to the seed treatment method, this object is achieved according to the invention in that the seed is in the immediate chronological order of a combined treatment with low-energy electron beams and, subsequently, with chemical agents and / or biological material.

Surprisingly, it was found that the seed treatment for pest control in two immediately successive process steps, namely the all-round irradiation of the seed with low-energy electrons in the first process step and the immediately subsequent treatment of the seed thus irradiated with an application of chemical agents and / or biological material in the second Step leads to a synergistic effect and an unexpectedly good result in combating seed and / or soil-borne pests. This surprisingly good effect of the method according to the present invention is attributed to the fact that the low-energy electron beams are used first to combat the fungal pathogens on the surface and in the region of the seeds or seeds close to the surface, with pests which are not killed being sensitized in the areas mentioned and as a result of this sensitization can be combated more effectively with chemical agents or agents and / or with biological material (in particular microbial antagonists) immediately after the electron pickling. When using chemical agents or agents, it is possible to achieve a higher control rate even with reduced expenditure. Since the sensitivity produced by electron pickling is not retained indefinitely, the method of treating the seed according to the invention in a continuous treatment process, which is subdivided into immediately following process steps, leads to particularly good results in combating the pests. The process according to the invention also improves chemical and / or biological application and an improved depth effect for chemical agents or microbial antagonists. The depth of penetration can also be controlled by the choice of the pressure level for the application of the chemical agents or agents and / or the biological material.

According to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the seed is separated in a first process step and moved through a radiation chamber in a substantially uniform, spaced distribution in free fall and in a vacuum, and immediately thereafter in a second process step of application with fungicides or their active ingredients and / or microbial antagonists or their metabolites and spores and / or plant growth-promoting microorganisms (synergists), optionally in combination with nutrients.

In the first process step, the seed is preferably irradiated in free fall in the irradiation area with quasimonoenergetic electron beams on all sides, electrons of substantially lower energy (scattering electrons) and plasma particles which act on the surface of the seed and in an edge layer of the seed running outside the germination system.

According to a further, preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is preferred that the chemical and / or biological application of the second method step takes place in a vacuum, while the vacuum is broken down after the electron beam treatment of the seed or under atmospheric pressure.

In the event that the treatment of the seed follows If the electron pickling takes place under vacuum, a vacuum pressure is preferably selected for this, which corresponds approximately to the saturation vapor pressure of the application.

Further, preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention are presented in the remaining subclaims.

To achieve the above object in relation to the device for the treatment of seeds for combating seed-borne and / or soil-borne pathogens, in particular for carrying out the previously explained method, the invention provides a device according to the preamble of claim 8, the radiation chamber being designed such that that the seed stream can be guided through the irradiation chamber in free fall and a plurality of electron beam generators are arranged on the irradiation chamber for treating the seed by fanning out the electron beams in an irradiation area of the irradiation chamber, and at least one treatment chamber in flow connection with the irradiation chamber, connected to application devices for chemical and / or biological treatment of the seed.

The device preferably has an evacuated radiation chamber with electron guns arranged thereon and locks for the pressure-decoupled introduction and removal of the seed into and out of the treatment chamber, as well as a distributor device at an entry point of the seed into the radiation chamber for separating the seed, a chute between the distributor device and an irradiation area of the irradiation chamber with at least two electron guns, which are opposite one another at the same height and with Deflection devices are provided for fanning out the electron beam and are assigned to the irradiation area, and a treatment container, in particular a vacuum container, is arranged downstream of the flow connection to the radiation chamber via an intermediate lock, said treatment container having application devices for the treatment of the seeds, which are preferably arranged within the treatment container, and wherein the treatment container is connected to a reservoir for the application of chemical agents or agents and / or biological material such as microbial antagonists.

Further preferred configurations of the invention The facility is set out in the other subclaims.

With regard to the treatment of the seed with fungicidal active substances or agents as well as with treatment with antagonistic microorganisms and / or their culture solutions, culture filtrates and antibiotic metabolic products following irradiation of the seed with low-energy electrons, a surprising synergistic increase in activity against seed and / and or soil-borne pests without phytotoxic effects that affect yield. The low-energy electron beam treatment in a vacuum leads to a favorable predisposition for a much better colonization of the seed with the microorganisms used or a permanent accumulation of culture filtrates or antibiotic metabolites on the seed.

• Fig. 1 ein Samenkorn in schematischer Schnittdarstellung mit Schaderregern und einwirkenden Ladungsträgerteilchen,
• Fig. 2 ein Samenkorn nach erfolgter Behandlung durch das Verfahren nach der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 3 eine Einrichtung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens schematisch im Längsschnitt,
• Fig. 4 eine Einrichtung ähnlich derjenigen in Fig. 3 zur Saatgutbehandlung nach der vorliegenden Erfindung.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments and associated drawings. In these show:

• 1 is a seed in a schematic sectional view with pathogens and acting charge carrier particles,
• 2 shows a seed after treatment by the method according to the present invention,
• 3 shows a device for carrying out the method schematically in longitudinal section,
• Fig. 4 shows a device similar to that in Fig. 3 for seed treatment according to the present invention.

As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the seed 1 is different on its surface and in the seed coat 2 Pests 3 populated. Other pathogens 4 are also located inside the grain 1 in this area. The all-round irradiation of the seed 1 with quasi-mono-energetic electron beams 5 disinfects the surface of the seed 1 and an adjacent edge layer. The thickness of this disinfected edge layer is determined by the electron energy and is selected depending on the morphology of the seed 1 so that the germ system 6 is not included. Due to the all-round action of scattering electrons 7 of less energy than that of the electron beams 5 and of plasma particles 8, as shown in FIG. With increasing evacuation pressure, the disinfectant effect is reduced and the activating effect increased. Depending on the respective radiation task, an evacuation pressure in the range from 10 Pa to several 100 Pa is selected. Immediately after the surface layer disinfection and surface activation, an application layer 11 is applied to the surface 9 activated by the electron beams 5. This application layer contains a fungicide, fungicidal active ingredient or formulated fungicide (or an active ingredient or fungicide combination) which is specifically tailored to the pathogen 4 and which also becomes effective in the interior of the seed 1 or contains one or more, preferably also against soil-borne pathogens acting microbial antagonists or plant growth promoting microorganisms and nutrients. The application layer 11 can also contain a mixture of fungicidal active substances and microbial antagonists, their metabolites and spores, or microorganisms and nutrients which promote plant growth.

By combining the irradiation of the seed with low-energy electrons with the addition of antagonistic microorganisms result in rapid, unimpeded colonization by the microorganisms used according to the invention, so that a high antagonistic activity is developed. Culture filtrates or antibiotic metabolites used show a high, long-lasting activity on or in the seed.

When using a fungicidal active ingredient or agent following the irradiation of the seed with low-energy electrons, better attachment of the chemical agent or agents to the seed is achieved. By penetrating the active ingredient, an improved depth effect can also be achieved. The penetration depth of the active substance can be controlled by the choice of the pressure level for the application of the chemical active substances, which takes place immediately after the irradiation of the seed by low-energy electron beams in a vacuum.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the seed is subjected to electron dressing in an evacuated radiation chamber in a first process step, in which quasi-mono-energetic electron beams, electrons with much lower energy (scattered electrons) and plasma particles act on the seed on all sides. The seed is introduced into the radiation chamber via locks. In order to achieve the effect of the electrons on all sides on the seed, it is separated when it enters the radiation chamber in such a way that it is evenly distributed over the entire cross section of the radiation area and passes through it in free fall. The plasma particles and the corresponding exposure conditions are generated by suitable inclusion of electron beams in a constant kept working pressure in the range of approx. 10 Pa up to several 100 Pa evacuated radiation chamber. With the quasi-mono-energetic electron beam, the surface and an outer layer of the respective seed lying outside the germination system are disinfected. With the lower energy electrons and the plasma particles, the seed surface is activated at the same time. In immediate succession to this first process step, an application is applied as a second process step outside the evacuated radiation chamber, the fungicidal active substances or agents and / or microbial antagonists, their metabolites and spores or the plant growth-promoting microorganisms and nutrients in a mixture or with at least one of the contains the aforementioned components.

If a fungicidal active ingredient or agent is used, this or this is preferably a biotic or abiotic fungicide with a specific action against the seed-borne pathogen which is located below the edge layer of the seed disinfected with the electron beam. The microbial antagonists and / or the microorganisms which promote plant growth are matched to compatibility with the fungicide used, provided a mixture of a chemical and a biological active component is selected. The microbial antagonists are also selected for their effectiveness on soil-borne pathogens.

A method is explained below with reference to FIG. 3 and the attached table, in which, following the irradiation of the seeds with low-energy electrons, the seeds are treated with bacterial and / or fungal antagonists in an integral process.

Microbial antagonists such as Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Trichoderma spp., Chaetomium spp., Epicoccum spp., Penicillium spp. Are particularly suitable for this embodiment of the method for seed treatment according to the invention. (IMET 11424, IMET 11425, IMET 11426, IMET 11427, IMET 11428, IMET 43920, IMET 43921, IMET 43922, IMET 43923, IMET 43924), yeast-like microorganisms and other known antagonists against fungal pathogens. The aforementioned bacterial and fungal antagonists were deposited with the National Collection of Microorganisms (IMET), Institute for Microbiology and Experimental Therapy, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 0-6900 Jena, DE (formerly the Central Institute for Microbiology and Experimental Therapy of the GDR Academy of Sciences, DDR-6900 Jena, Beutenbergstrasse 11).

The IMET 11424 and IMET 11425 strains were deposited on December 18, 1989, and the IMET 11426-28 strains on December 19, 1989.

The strains IMET 43920, IMET 43921 and IMET 43922 were deposited on December 19, 1989.

The trunks IMET 43923 and IMET 43924 were deposited on January 5, 1990 and January 15, 1990.

The following table summarizes the protection of the germinating seed and the seedling against pests after electron beam treatment combined with the use of microbial antagonists. The effect against the pathogens mentioned was determined after a test period of four weeks at a test temperature of 10 ^° C. A clear protection of the seeds treated by the method according to the invention and the resulting seedlings could be found.

3, which shows a device for electron dressing and subsequent treatment of the electron-irradiated seed with a chemical and / or biological application in vacuum or at atmospheric pressure or during the removal of the vacuum after the electron beam treatment, an embodiment of a device according to the present invention explained.

An irradiation chamber 12 (recipient) can be evacuated via a connection 13 to a working pressure of approximately 10 Pa to some 100 Pa. The pressure-grading seed supply device 14, consisting of cellular wheel locks 15 and a connection 16, which is connected to an evacuation device, in particular a vacuum pump, is connected to its inlet or top side. The cellular wheel locks 15 simultaneously form a metering device for the seed 17, which is fed to a chute 19 via a distributor device 18, which divides the seed flow in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1. In free fall, the seed 17 gets into and on through an irradiation area 20. The irradiation area 20 is generated by two electron guns 21, which are arranged radially opposite one another, in that the electron beams 22 of the electron guns 21 are fanned out in two dimensions by means of a scanner 23 via cannon-internal beam deflection units. Programmed screening of the electron beams 22 results in an approximately uniform irradiation of the seeds 17 in the irradiation area 20, which passes through the irradiation area 20 as a homogeneous seed stream.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the scattering electrons 7 scattered out of the electron beams 22 with greater energy loss and the plasma particles 8 formed by the electron beam 22 activate the surface of the seed 17 Electron beam 22 remaining, only slightly scattered, quasi-mono-energetic electrons 5 disinfect the edge layer 10 of the seeds 1.

The end of the radiation chamber 12 is connected via an intermediate lock 24 to a treatment chamber 25, which in this case e.g. is designed as a vacuum container (recipient). This treatment container 25 is provided with an application device 26 for the application of one or more fungicidal agents or only their active ingredients or an application of microbial antagonists or other bacterial or fungal forms of microbiological components or a mixture of chemical / biological treatment material. The application is supplied from a predicate container (not shown here) via connections 27 and metering and conveying device. The application is sprayed with the application device 26 and applied to the seed 17 via the spray mist. At the exit of the treatment chamber 25, a pressure-grading seed discharge device 28 is provided, which is preferably provided in accordance with the seed supply device 14, consisting of cellular wheel locks 15 and a connection 16 for connection to an evacuation device (vacuum pump). The seed entry into the seed supply device 14 and the seed exit from the seed removal device 28 take place at atmospheric pressure.

It is of course also possible to apply the fungicidal active substances or agents or microbial antagonists and the previously described further microbial forms of application (or a mixture of fungicides and biological components to combat the pathogens) by dipping the seeds.

On the other hand, it is also possible to arrange several treatment chambers, possibly in different pressure stages, for the application of fungicidal active substances or agents or for the application of antagonistic microorganisms (or mixtures thereof). Instead of a recipient as a treatment chamber 28 for the chemical and / or biological treatment of the electron-irradiated seed in a vacuum, this treatment can also take place under aeration (atmospheric pressure) or during the breakdown of the vacuum after the electron beam treatment of the seed 17.

With reference to FIG. 4, in a further embodiment of the present invention, a device for treating seeds with low-energy rays in a vacuum and subsequent treatment of the irradiated seeds with fungicidal active substances or agents, the structure of which essentially corresponds to that of the device, is explained below 3 corresponds to. Again, for an integral process in a continuous process with a continuous flow of seeds in the direction of arrows 1, 2, the fungicides are applied immediately following the preceding disinfecting and surface-activating irradiation of the seeds with low-energy electron beams.

According to this exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a treatment chamber 25 is arranged downstream of the radiation chamber 12 (recipient) between the cellular wheel locks 15 and 24 in such a way that the desired pressure for treating the seed with chemical active substances or agents is obtained therein. The required amount of active substance is introduced into the treatment chamber 25 via a metering device 29 depending on the amount of the seed moving through the treatment chamber 25 introduced. Vacuum generators, for example in the pressure stages which are provided on the inlet side of the treatment chamber 25 for supplying the seed stream, are not shown in the drawing.

In this exemplary embodiment as well, as in the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the seed is moved in free fall through the radiation chamber 12 and through the treatment chamber 25, in each case with the seeds being separated.

In principle, it is also possible to arrange a plurality of treatment chambers 25 in a vertical arrangement in order to be able to control the penetration depth of active substances when using several different active substances with the aid of the respective pressure regime in the treatment chamber 25. In this case, a separate dosing device 29 and a separate storage container 30 for the application material 3, in particular fungicide, are provided for each treatment chamber 25.

It has been shown that by carrying out the process according to the invention of treating the seed according to this exemplary embodiment of the present invention with low-energy electrons and fungicides, pathogens such as flying fire (Ustilago nuda) and other pathogens penetrating deeper into the grain of grain such as Fusarium species and Septoria nodorum are also successfully combated can be.

The sole use of irradiating the seed with low-energy electrons (while avoiding phytotoxic effects) against pathogens that penetrate into the embryo of the collecting system, such as flying fire and sometimes also fusariums, due to the insufficient depth effect, are not sufficient with the invention Combined use of electron pickling with an immediately subsequent treatment with fungicidal active ingredients achieved surprisingly great success.

It was found that with a combined use of low-energy electrons with subsequent fungicide treatment of the seeds by methfuroxam (15 g, 30 g / 100 kg of seeds), efficiencies in the control of pathogens from 95 to 100% can be achieved. Similar effects are also found with the fungicides guazatin (20g, 40g / 100kg seeds), triadimenol (20g, 40g / 100kg seeds), carbendazim (12g, 25g / 100kg seeds), bitertanol (20g, 20g / 100kg seeds) and Carboxin (25g, 50g / 100 kg seed) can be expected as a combination partner after the electron beam treatment. By combining fungicides with one another, as well as when using prochloraz, imazalil, fenfuram, fuberidazole, iprodione, thiabendazole, further reductions in the amounts of fungicides used are possible in connection with the preceding electron beam treatment with low-energy electrons.

Claims (10)

1. Method of treating seed (17), which is subjected to treatment with low-energy electron beams (5, 22), characterized in that the seed (17) immediately after the electron-beam treatment is subjected to treatment with chemical agents and/or biological material.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in a first process step the seed (17) is separated out and conveyed distributed at a substantially uniform distance apart, in free fall and in vacuo through an irradiation chamber (12) and immediately thereafter is subjected in a second process step to an application with fungicides or their agents and/or microbial antagonists or their metabolic products and spores and/or microbial synergists.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the first process step the seed (17) in free fall in the irradiation region (20) is acted upon from all sides by quasi-monoenergic electron beams (5, 22), electrons of much lower energy and plasma particles (8) at the surface of the seed (17) as well as in a surface layer (10) of the seed (17) extending outside of the germinating system (6).
4. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the chemical and/or biological application of the second process step is effected in vacuo, during the reduction of the vacuum after the electron-beam treatment of the seed (17) or under atmospheric pressure.
5. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the chemical and/or biological application of the second process step is effected at a vacuum pressure which roughly corresponds to the saturation vapour pressure of the respective chemical and/or biological application applied onto the seed (17) in the second process step.
6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in dependence upon the selection of a pressure rating for introduction of the chemical and/or biological application, the application onto and penetration into the caryopsis of the application is controlled.
7. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a ratio of disinfection of a surface layer to activation of a seed surface of the seed (17) is adjusted by means of an operating pressure in the irradiation chamber (12).
8. Device for treating seed (17) with electron beams (5, 22), having an evacuated irradiation chamber (12) to which is connected an electron-beam source with a deflection device for fanning out the electron beam (5, 22), and having a distributor device (18) at an entry point of the seed (17) into the irradiation chamber (12) for separating out the seed (17), particularly for effecting the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the irradiation chamber (12) is so constructed that the seed stream may be conveyed in free fall through the irradiation chamber (12) and a plurality of electron guns (21) are disposed adjacent to the irradiation chamber (12), for treating the seed (17) with simultaneous fanning out of the electron beams (5, 22) in an irradiation region (20) of the irradiation chamber (12), as well as at least one treatment chamber (25) in flow connection with the irradiation chamber (12), connected to application devices (26) for chemical and/or biological treatment of the seed (17).
9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the treatment chamber (25) is disposed between two pressure stages and/or dosing apparatuses.
10. Device according to claim 8, having locks for pressure-decoupled introduction and removal of the seed (17) into and out of the irradiation chamber (12), characterized by a fall shaft (19) between the distributor device (18) and the irradiation region (20), at least two electron guns (21) which are disposed in a horizontal plane opposite to one another and adjacent to the irradiation chamber (12) and are provided with deflection devices for fanning out the electron beams (5, 22) to form the irradiation region (20), and with the treatment chamber (25), in particular the vacuum container, being disposed downstream of and flow-connected via an intermediate lock (24) with the irradiation chamber (12) and having the application devices (26) for treating the seed (17), preferably inside the treatment container (25), and with there being connected to the treatment container (25) a supply vessel (30) for receiving a chemical and/or biological application.

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